This application relates to bedding for animals, and particularly bedding for livestock such as cattle and horses.
Throughout Agrarian times, farmers have recognized the importance of shelter and bedding in the comfort and well-being of livestock. Livestock that are well-kept and content generally produce more food and have a greater longevity as work animals. Providing comfort to these animals during rest and sleep is essential for keeping the animals content and productive. Thus, farmers have used bedding materials such as straw, sawdust, sand and even recycled manure solids for their livestock. Thus, bedding generally provides cushion, support and warmth essential to comforting the animals.
However, the use of such bedding has a serious drawback in that such materials have a tendency to retain the animals' excreted waste products. The need to groom the bedding and sometimes completely replace the bedding every few days for hygienic reasons constitutes a high cost and labor and replacement materials for a farmer.
Accordingly, there is the need and the animal husbandry field for an animal bedding additive that when added to bedding materials such as straw, sawdust, sand or recycled manure solids is inert, but when contacted by moisture, e.g. urine, produces germicidal agents effective to counteract many micro-organisms commonly found in animal bedding, such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and others. Thus, the animal bedding, when combined with the bedding material additive disclosed herein remains hygienic for a longer period of time reducing labor costs and replacement material costs for a farmer.
The present disclosure contemplates animal bedding having a bedding material and a bedding material additive. The bedding material is preferably straw, sawdust, sand or recycled manure solids, but may be any type of bedding material known in the art of animal husbandry. The bedding material additive preferably includes 60-99% by weight absorbent clay or powder, 0.1 to 35% by weight chlorite salt, and 0.1 to 35% by weight sodium bisulfate or sodium percarbonate. The chlorite salt may be sodium chlorite, magnesium chlorite, potassium chlorite or calcium chlorite. Preferably, sodium chlorite is used. The bedding material additive may also include 0.01 to 5% by weight of a surfactant. This surfactant is preferably sodium dodecylsulfate, dodecyl ammonium sulfate, sodium cholate, sodium deoxycholate, N-lauroylsarcosine sodium salt, lauryldimethylamine-oxide, cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide, dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid, ethoxylated alkyl phenol, or bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate sodium salt. Most preferably, the surfactant is dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid. Additionally, the bedding additive may further include 0.01 to 5% by weight urea. If it is so desired, the bedding material additive may also include a dye in an amount effective to achieve coloration of the additive. If it is so desired, the bedding material additive may also include a perfume or other material to emit and diffuse a fragrant odor in an amount effective to achieve a desirable odor for the additive. The bedding material additive may be provided in either powdered or a granule form.
When the bedding material additive is dry, it is inert and neither germicidal nor acidic. However, when the bedding material additive is exposed to moisture, e.g. urine or rain, either the sodium bisulfate will acidify the solution, creating an acidic environment, or the sodium percarbonate will release oxygen into the solution, creating an oxidative environment. The acid or oxidant will instigate the formation of hypochlorous acid and chlorine dioxide from the chlorite salt. The acidification of the sodium bisulfate also is effective to reduce ammonia and cause a reduction in odor. Hypochlorus acid and chlorine dioxide are powerful, broad spectrum germicides that have proven efficacy against E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and other micro organisms commonly found in animal bedding.